This screening is part of The Taste of the Festival.Click for more information.

Film Forums

FilmForums are moderated and interactive panel discussions that feature filmmakers, community leaders, and scholars who are knowledgeable about the topic at hand.

Film forums begin after the film ends, and are 45 minutes long.

What is Stand by?

Only a portion of available seats are sold in advance in order to save room for passholders. Once these advanced tickets have sold, a film is considered on Stand By. However, even for crowded films, we can often accommodate additional patrons just before showtime.

Opening Night

Wednesday, April 04, 2018

CIFF43 Opening Night will take place at Playhouse Square on Wednesday, April 4, 2018 and will include the film at 7:00 PM at the Connor Palace, followed by the reception at 9:00 PM at the KeyBank State Theatre.

THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER begins with a pantless man dragging a couch onto a beach. He douses it with gasoline and casually sets it on fire. His name is Gabriel, and he is a drummer for an up-and-coming rock band. His bandmates have had enough of his out-of-control antics, though. He’s constantly drunk, and the couch incident is just one of many. When Gabriel agrees to get help, it’s revealed he’s bipolar. His therapist prescribes medicine and enrolls him in treatment, which includes joining a soccer team with other mental health patients. He reluctantly shows up to practice, where the coach pushes him to befriend Christopher, a teenager with Asperger’s Syndrome. Soon Gabriel can’t seem to get rid of Christopher. But as time goes by, Gabriel will discover Christopher is not just the only friend he really has, but also exactly the kind he needs. This funny, moving film examines an anomalous union that seems doomed from the start. However, their unlikely but beautiful friendship will give them both the pieces they’ve been missing. —E.F.

Closing Night

sponsored by:

Sunday, April 15, 2018

Everyone in attendance at any of the films showing in the last round is invited to join us for the Closing Night dessert reception and awards presentation program around The Fountain at Tower City Center.

The Closing Night Reception will include a brief program announcing the winners of the American Independents Competition, George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Film Competition, Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Film Competition, Nesnadny + Schwartz Portrait Documentary Competition, Local Heroes Competition, the ReelWomenDirect Award, and the Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award.

In terms of temperament, they were opposites: one a paragon of cool containment, the other a volcano of visceral emotion. But they had something in common: they were the best. Featuring immersive performances from Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf, and Stellan Skarsgärd, BORG VS. MCENROE is sports drama as psychological thriller. Helmed by Danish director Janus Metz, the film recreates the legendary 1980 Wimbledon Championship match between tennis savants Björn Borg and John McEnroe, as well as the media frenzy surrounding it and the private angst experienced by the players and their coterie. By 1980, Sweden’s Borg (Gudnason) has already won Wimbledon four times. He is 24 years old, adored, wealthy, and engaged to be married. Yet despite his serene public persona, Borg has been tormented by anxiety all his life. His opponent, New Yorker John McEnroe (LaBeouf), is a wizard on the court, a whirlwind of fury and precision. The public loves to loathe McEnroe, who on the court can explode at any moment into tantrums of expletive-laden insults directed at umpires and spectators alike. But McEnroealso suffers mental anguish. Both men will bring their immense talents —and inner demons—with them when they finally face off in one of the most suspenseful events in tennis history. Darting between evocative flashbacks and an electrifying present tense, BORG VS. MCENROE thrills us with feats of athletic mastery—and activates our empathy with insights into what it takes to win. (In Engish, Swedish, and French with subtitles) —Toronto International Film Festival

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10% Shorts Program 1

10% Shorts Program 2

After Hours Shorts Program 1

After Hours Shorts Program 2

After Hours Shorts Program 3

After Hours Shorts Program 4

Animated Shorts Program

CIFF2 Shorts

Comedy Shorts Program 1

Comedy Shorts Program 2

Family Shorts Program 1

Family Shorts Program 2

FilmSlam® African Diaspora Shorts Program

FilmSlam® Arabic Shorts Program

FilmSlam® Chinese Shorts Program

FilmSlam® French Shorts Program

FilmSlam® German Shorts Program

FilmSlam® International Shorts Program

FilmSlam® Middle-School Light Program

FilmSlam® Russian Shorts Program

FilmSlam® Spanish Shorts Program

Hollywood Shorts Program

Local Heroes Shorts Program 1

Local Heroes Shorts Program 2

Local Heroes Shorts Program 3

Playlist

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Shorts Program 1

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Shorts Program Sponsored by:

Shorts Program 5

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Shorts Program 11

Shorts Program 12

Shorts Program 13

Shorts Program 14

Shorts Program 15

10% Cinema

This long-standing sidebar features films focusing on issues, topics, and stories from the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer communities

African Diaspora

These remarkable films feature stories from Africa, made by and about Africans and people of African descent from around the world.

Sidebar Sponsored by:

After Hours

Ready for your mind to be blown? Prowl the Festival and feast on these dark, mysterious, thrilling, and bizarre films.

Cinema en Español

This eclectic array of Spanish-language films explores a multitude of subjects that range from the culturally specific to the universal.

Sidebar Sponsored by:

Family Films

You can take a family trip around the world without leaving the city. These family-friendly films are great for kids and young adults, but please check the descriptions.

Sidebar Sponsored by:

Film Is Art

Focusing on topics including painting, drawing, fashion, and dance, these films explore a range of artists and the artistic process. Some films also highlight animation–an art form in and of itself.

Jewish and Israeli Visions

These films from–or about–Israel and the Jewish diaspora enlighten with their unique cultural perspectives.

Nordic Adventures

These films feature fantastic original storytelling from the countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.

Pan-Asian Cinema

Focusing on films from the Pacific Islands and the entire continent of Asia, along with stories of Asian-Americans, these films feature modern tales from ancient cultures.

Sidebar Sponsored by:

Race Relations

The films in this sidebar expand the discussion about race and ethnicity and the impact racial identity has on individuals and society as a whole.

The Sports Section

These films focus on sports competitions and individual athletes, making any spectator feel the emotions involved.

Voices of the Arab World

These films, hailing from many different countries, share the same language and exemplify dynamic cultures that have impacted history while continuing to mold the world's dialogue.

Women of the World

Once again we are proud to feature this collection of films that celebrate empowered women.

Sidebar Sponsored by:

World Tour

Every year the CIFF brings the best films from around the globe to screen in the World Tour sidebar. This year our films represent 72 countries.

Sidebar Sponsored by:

Ad Hoc Docs Competition

Audiences at the CIFF love documentaries. Over the past several years almost half of the feature films we have presented have been documentaries, and they have won the Roxanne T. Mueller Award in each of the last six years.

In order to showcase more of these amazing stories than ever before, we’re excited to present this new competition featuring topics, subjects, and stories that go beyond the descriptions of our other competitions.

Based on audience vote, the winner of this competition will be announced at our Closing Night Ceremony and receive a $7,500 cash prize.

American Independents Competition

With big dreams and small budgets, these films represent the finest in contemporary American cinema. Based on audience vote, this year's competition will yield an increased cash prize of $7,500 to the winner announced at the Closing Night Ceremony.

Audience Choice Award for Best Short

Best After Hours Short

Best Animated Short

This award winner will quality for consideration in the Shorts Films category of the annual Academy Awards.

Best Comedy Short

sponsored by David K. Ream

Best Documentary Short

sponsored by Jules and Fran Belkin

Best Family Short

Best International Short

sponsored by MP Star Financial

Best LGBT Short

sponsored by Jan and Harold Babbit

Best Live Action Short

sponsored by Anne Bloomberg and Alan Gordon Lipson & Judy Harris

Best Music Video

Sponsored by Ken Robinson

Best Ohio Short

sponsored by Oswald Companies

Best Student Short

sponsored by MP Star Financial

Best Women's Short

sponsored by Jinny and John Johnson

FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Feature

sponsored by Overdrive

FilmSlam Student Choice Award for Best Short

sponsored by Overdrive

George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Film Competition

Twenty-eight years ago at the 14th CIFF, we launched a special focus on films from Central and Eastern Europe, the native lands of many Clevelanders. This year the CIFF is proud to present its 16th Central and Eastern European Competition. And, for the sixth year, we are deeply honored to present this competition in loving memory of George Gund III with the support of an endowment from The George Gund Foundation. This competition not only gives recognition to the films coming to us from Central and Eastern Europe, but it also awards one filmmaker a $10,000 cash prize that will be announced at our Closing Night Ceremony.

Competition Presented by:

Jurors:

Craig Prater –
Craig Prater, President of Heartland International Film Festival, joined the 27-year-old organization in 2016. Previously, he served with entertainer Sonny Bono as the Executive Director of the Palm Springs International Film Festival, co-founded the PS International Short Film Festival, and co-founded the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival. After his tenure in Palm Springs, he was hired by the Royal Thai government as the Executive Director of the Bangkok International Film Festival for five years. More recently, and prior to his position at Heartland, he served as the Vice President of Strategic Planning of the San Diego International Film Festival and Executive Director of the San Diego Jewish Film Festival. In addition, Craig launched the Cultural Journey to India (2017) and the new Indy Shorts, both produced by Heartland Film.

Meredith Shea –
Meredith Shea is an Associate Director of Membership and Awards at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. She oversees the Animated Feature and Foreign Language Film Oscar categories, along with the Directors, Film Editors, and Writers branches. She is actively involved with The Academy's efforts to increase the international profile and diversity of its membership. Meredith began her career in the arts at The Everett Collection, a Manhattan film archive and photo agency. She is a graduate of St. John's University in New York City. The Academy is a global community of more than 8,000 of the most accomplished artists, filmmakers, and executives working in film, where they celebrate and recognize excellence in filmmaking through The Oscars.

Wieland Speck –
Wieland Speck is an advisor for the official program of the Berlin International Film Festival. Previously he was the Director of the Berlin International Film Festival's Panorama section for 25 years and an assistant to the Panorama Director for ten years. He is a lecturer at various institutes, including dffb (German Film and TV Academy), Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Theaterwissenschaft, HFF Babelsberg, and Filmakademie Ludwigsburg. Wieland is also a film curator for numerous institutions. He regularly publishes articles on filmmaking, film marketing, and scriptwriting. He studied German literature, theatre arts, and ethnology at Freie Universität Berlin and filmmaking at the San Francisco Art Institute.

Global Health Competition

The CIFF has always recognized the power of film to change people’s viewpoints about the world. This competition includes films that delve into human health-related issues (both mental and physical) and films about the health of the environment. The films in this competition will introduce our audience to an entire array of health-related issues and encourage us to question the true definition of health as it relates to individuals and the entire planet.

This year the CIFF is proud to present our fifth Global Health Competition. Based on audience vote, the winner of this competition will be announced at our Closing Night Reception and receive a $7,500 cash prize.

Competition Presented by:

Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition

In 2005 The George Gund Foundation granted the CIFF with an endowment to create the Greg Gund Memorial Standing Up Competition as a tribute to Greg Gund. Greg’s friends and family described him as “intensely creative and talented, and wholly without pretension.” For five years Greg lived in Playa Negro near Tamarindo, Costa Rica where he immersed himself by becoming part of the local community. As much as he deeply loved his home there, Greg was also an extensive world traveler with an adventurous spirit and an insatiable curiosity about different cultures and people. He lived by this Mahatma Gandhi quote inscribed in his passport: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Greg died at the age of 32 in a small plane crash off the Pacific Coast on July 16, 2005.

Our Standing Up program includes “films with a conscience.” Standing Up started as a sidebar to focus on films with the mission to change the world and grew into a celebration of activism and the fight for social justice. Many of these films highlight personal stories featuring individuals who set out to teach lessons on how to live a better life. One of the aspects all these films share is the impact they make on viewers long after the credits roll. Through the films, Standing Up honors Greg Gund—as well as others with a different view of the world—and the continual fight to make it better.

Based on audience vote, the winner of this competition will be announced at our Closing Night Ceremony and receive a $7,500 cash prize.

Competition Presented by:

International Narrative Competition

The CIFF is the best way in Cleveland to experience the different cultures, languages, and customs fo the entire world. We are recognized for our well-rounded international program, and this year we're happy to give back to the world with a new competition.

Based on audience vote, the winner of this competition will be announced at our Closing Night Ceremony and recieve a $7,500 cash prize.

Local Heroes Competition

Local Heroes is our annual celebration of films made about Ohio, in Ohio, or by Ohioans. We are honored to once again support these films and filmmakers, hoping to empower the already booming independent film community of Cleveland and Ohio alike. Based on audience vote, this year’s competition will yield a $7,500 cash prize to the winner announced at our Closing Night Ceremony.

Music Movies Competition

At the 30th CIFF we launched our Music Movies Sidebar, which has since grown into a grouping of some of our most popular films each Festival. For the fifth year in a row, we’re happy to showcase these films even more and continue the Music Movies Competition. Comprised of documentaries and narratives, this competition is based on audience vote and awards the winner with a $7,500 cash prize, which willbe announced at our Closing Night Ceremony.

Nesnadny + Schwartz Portrait Documentary Competition

The Nesnadny + Schwartz Portrait Documentary Competition is dedicated to the life and work of our long-time board member and friend Mark Schwartz (1956-2014).

For 14 years, the CIFF has presented the Nesnadny + Schwartz Documentary Competition. Last year, we celebrated the life of Mark Schwartz with a sharper focus on portrait documentaries. We are proud to continue this focus. The subjects in these documentaries are determined, dedicated, and daring. The films themselves are artistic, passionate, and insightful. This competition celebrates people who exemplify the characteristics that were very much the essence of Mark himself.

Nesnadny + Schwartz (www.NSideas.com) is a renown graphic design studio committed to providing clients what they least expect. Nesnadny + Schwartz is very proud to continue their support of the Cleveland International Film Festival and to sponsor a program that has such social, artistic, and popular appeal.

Portrait documentaries in competition that are screening in the Festival will be viewed by our panel of jurors throughout the week. The winner will be announced at our Closing Night Ceremony, receiving a cash prize of $10,000.

Competition Presented by:

Jurors:

Michael Albright –
Michael Albright is the Programming Director for the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Michael received his M.A. from UCLA in cinema and media studies and his Ph.D. in film and media studies at UCSB. He teaches film studies and documentary production courses at several colleges in Southern California, including Chapman University. Michael began his career as a documentary filmmaker in New York City as an intern with Albert Maysles. This sparked his interest in hand-held cinematography, which is the subject of his current book project. In addition to his own production company, Moonpix, Michael founded Project Moonshine, a nonprofit organization designed to teach documentary filmmaking to high school students. Project Moonshine's first documentary, "Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake" (2006), received international recognition.

Sandrine Cassidy –
Sandrine Faucher Cassidy is Senior Director of Festivals and Distribution at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. She counsels and mentors students and alumni, helping them strategize on how to best show and promote their short films and independent features. She helps build that vital bridge between film school, the festival circuit, and the film industry. USC's catalog of short films stands at more than 3,000 projects and grows in number every year. Sandrine licenses these archived films to theatrical and television outlets around the world. With over 20 years of experience in the film industry and international festivals dating back to her position as a film promoter at Unifrance Film International, Sandrine has made a career specializing in the distribution and exhibition of short and independent films.

Michele Josue –
Michele Josue is an award-winning Filipino-American filmmaker from Burtonsville, Maryland and a graduate of Emerson College's film program. Her critically acclaimed feature film debut, "Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine," is the winner of ten Best Documentary and Audience Choice Awards including the Roxanne T. Mueller Award at CIFF38. Michele and the film, which is now available worldwide on Netflix, recently won a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Special Class Special." Michele was selected for the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam's World Documentary Exchange filmmaker program in 2013 and has received The Reel Affirmations' Keith Clark & Barry Becker Filmmaker Award.

New Direction Competition

At the 39th CIFF we premiered our focus on debut directors whose innovative films transform the traditional notions of cinematic storytelling. Thanks to the support of CoverMyMeds, we are proud to present our third New Direction Competition. Screening within this competition are films created by emerging filmmakers who we believe will define the future of filmmaking. Films in competition that are screening in the Festival will be viewed by our panel of jurors throughout the week. The winner will be announced at our Closing Night Ceremony, receiving a cash prize of $10,000.

Competition Presented by:

Jurors:

Opal Bennett –
Opal H. Bennett programs for several film festivals. She curates shorts at the Nantucket Film Festival and DOC NYC, and she is a Programmer with Aspen ShortsFest and Athena Film Festival. In addition, she is an Assistant Programmer with Tribeca Film Festival. Opal is also a Programming Consultant for the March on Washington and Over-the-Rhine Film Festivals. She has served on juries for SXSW, NewFest, Leuven ShortsFest, and Queens World Film Festival. She has also served on advisory and grant panels.

Brendan Gallagher –
Brendan Gallagher is Executive Vice President of Gravitas Ventures, LLC, where he oversees business and legal affairs, including negotiating the various license agreements among Gravitas and its hundreds of filmmakers and distribution partners. Brendan also serves as part of Gravitas' acquisitions team, attending major film festivals and markets throughout the year, as well as contributing to Gravitas' foreign sales efforts.

Cara Ogburn –
Cara Ogburn is the Programming & Education Director for Milwaukee Film, which hosts the annual Milwaukee Film Festival. In 2017 this 15-day film festival boasted an attendance of over 84,000 for 297 films (shorts, features, and VR shorts). This summer the festival will be assuming operation of the historic Oriental Theatre year-round. Cara began working for Milwaukee Film seasonally in 2011 and joined the year-round staff in 2013 to oversee the organization's Education programs for audiences of all ages. She was promoted in 2015 to also direct the Programming Department, guiding the process and team that curates all content presented on- and off-screen during the festival and year-round.

Perspectives Award for Immersive Storytelling

Programmers' Choice Award - In Celebration of the life of Toni Oliverio

In memory of long-time CIFF shorts programmer, Toni Oliverio. The award will be accompanied by a $1,000 cash prize.

ReelWomenDirect Award for Excellence in Directing by a Woman

We are thrilled to once again celebrate female filmmakers at the Cleveland International Film Festival. The ReelWomenDirect Award, based on audience vote, will be presented to a woman director at our Closing Night Ceremony, accompanied by a $10,000 cash prize. In an industry historically dominated by men, we are honored to showcase these women–who make up 37% of our feature filmmakers–and the empowered female perspectives they provide within their films.

Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award

Roxanne T. Mueller served as the film critic at The Plain Dealer from 1983 until 1988 when she lost a six-month battle with cancer at the age of 36. Mueller was a strong supporter of the Festival and, through her writing, helped to raise the general level of film appreciation in Cleveland. She was an exceptionally engaging writer who managed to weave personal insights into her film reviews, whether she was covering popular Hollywood fare or sophisticated foreign cinema. In its 12th year, the CIFF established the Roxanne T. Mueller Audience Choice Award for Best Film to help bring this important Festival friend back into focus a bit each year. Festival patrons rate each film they see and the most popular film is announced at our Closing Night Reception. The Callahan Foundation, started in 1968 by Cleveland nuclear engineer, inventor, and businessman Joe Callahan, joins us in celebrating the 28th year of this renowned award with a $15,000 cash prize to the winner.

“When you lose someone you love, you start to look for new ways to understand the world.” That’s one conclusion reached by Elan Bogarín as she and her brother Jonathan sift through the items left behind after the death of... {more}

Located in a remote jungle in Thailand, Children’s Village is home to over 150 students. Whether victims of poverty, neglect, or abandonment, these children are given a chance (free of charge) to succeed at this incredibly progressive democratic school. They... {more}

When the Association of Community Organizers for Reform Now (ACORN) was mentioned during the 2008 Presidential debates, it should have been a boon to the group who had spent decades fighting for impoverished communities. As with social justice groups, however,... {more}

In 1963 South Africa was ruled by the brutal system of apartheid. After a raid on a farm in Rivonia—a suburb of Johannesburg—ten men were charged with conspiracy to commit violent acts and sabotage against the government. One of the... {more}

Liam has plans, y’all. He’s going to get into Harvard and become the second most famous astrophysicist ever, thanks to being home-schooled by the coolest mom ever. That is, until he crushes on the pretty one-legged girl at his local... {more}

Sam (Alan Cumming) is an angry middle-aged gay man. He is angry at a number of things, but mostly he is angry because nobody seems angry anymore. Sam was a warrior during the AIDS crisis, a front-line activist who lost... {more}

Go inside the Maine State Prison to hear the harrowing story of Kenny's time in solitary confinement and what happened when he got out.
RECOMMENDED FOR PERSONS 18 YEARS OR OLDER
Part of the Perspectives exhibition for immersive storytelling, featuring Interactive Media,... {more}

What is the distance between fish-guts and Fabulous? Whatever it is, Leo has to travel it and the road is a mess. Leo is an aspiring drag performer who lives and works in a small Alaskan cannery town where tolerance... {more}

As the son of a beloved cleric in the Muslim community in Melbourne, Australia, Ali is under extreme pressure to live up to his father’s revered reputation. In a well-meaning attempt to impress his family (and to prove his rivals... {more}

When a disreputable guest is found dead at an exclusive French hotel, the concierge must find a way to make the body disappear. But he's unaware that the couple in the next room is facing exactly the same problem... {more}

Lexington, Kentucky, 2004: Spencer and Warren dream of remarkable lives beyond their middle-class suburban existence. They head off to colleges in the same town, haunted by the fear they may never be special in any way. Spencer is given a... {more}

Toma and Ana, two young graduate students, quickly fall in love upon meeting. However, theirs is not your average lighthearted love story. Ana’s tendency for debilitating panic attacks leaves her entirely dependent on Toma almost immediately. The relationship becomes increasingly... {more}

Eva and Kat have a good thing going. They’re in love and living the bohemian lifestyle on a house boat, cruising the canals of London with their plants and cat. But when the cat dies, Eva’s maternal instincts kick into... {more}

Edwin and Flake don’t easily fit in. They don’t watch television, use social media, or have the same interests as other kids their age. At school they are bullied, beat up, and alienated by most of their classmates. At home... {more}

Nick and Anna’s marriage is in a fragile state. As they plan for an extended stay in the Swiss Alps, Anna begins to suspect Nick has been having an affair with a woman who lives in their building. Unfortunately, they... {more}

The Pacific island republic of Kiribati is home to over 100,000 people. Despite being one of the most remote places on the planet, this little island is on the front lines of climate change. Scientists predict that Kiribati will become... {more}

Oleg and Katya are healthcare workers who fell in love and married while at med school. They now work at the same city hospital—Katya as an emergency room physician and Oleg as a paramedic in an EMA ambulance. Katya wants... {more}

When lost-in-life Rosie, her best friend Tucker, and their childhood friends reunite for a long weekend, they are all forced to confront their difficult life choices, uncertain futures and the friendships that may not last as long as they once... {more}

It’s the 1970s in communist Poland and no one wants to talk about sex... no one except sexologist Michalina Wisłocka, that is. THE ART OF LOVING is based on the true story of Wisłocka, a lesser-known hero of the sexual... {more}

Dr. Mahinder Watsa is India’s most unassuming and compassionate celebrity. For years, the 93-year-old former gynecologist has written a daily sex advice column in The Mumbai Mirror called “Ask The Sexpert.” This touching, humorous documentary follows Dr. Watsa through his... {more}

WORLD PREMIERE
Michael Connelly is a newbie in the Cleveland Police Department. However, his family name is well known among its ranks. Michael’s father was a longtime member of the force, but he disgraced the uniform after a drug scandal revealed... {more}

Joan Jett is so much more than “I Love Rock ’n’ Roll.” It’s true, she became mega-famous from the number-one hit, and that fame intensified with the music video’s endless play on MTV. But that staple of popularity can’t properly... {more}

Eda is a rather timid young boy growing up in the city of Prague during World War II. When the Germans arrive, Eda’s father resists their authority. This rebellion forces Eda and his family to flee Prague and retreat to... {more}

Arash only has two weeks left in France before he’s due to move back to Iran. Although he has last-minute loose ends to tie up (and a law exam for which he should be studying), his fellow Iranian ex-pat friends... {more}

Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm), a top U.S. diplomat, left Lebanon in the 1970s after a tragic incident. Ten years later, the CIA calls him back to a war-torn Beirut with a mission only he can accomplish. Meanwhile, a CIA field... {more}

WORLD PREMIERE
It is the perfect summer... for heartache. But for young Archie, also for hope. In love with the most beautiful lifeguard in the whole entire world, Archie is about to have his life changed when he’s hired to work... {more}

More than 20 years after ending an abusive relationship that nearly killed her, filmmaker Attiya Khan reaches out to her ex-boyfriend Steve for an honest and open dialogue about the violence he inflicted on her during their time together. As... {more}

Freshly out of prison, Mirja is trying to decide which path to follow. Her best friends are criminals who are still clinging to a plan to rob a jewelry store in order to fund their exit from their boring suburban... {more}

Culled from the imagination of director Benjamin Renner, THE BIG BAD FOX AND OTHER TALES is a series of folktales surrounding the animal inhabitants of a small country farm. In “Baby Delivery,” Rabbit, Pig, and Duck must take over for... {more}

It’s 2017 in Bisbee, Arizona, an old copper-mining town just miles from the Mexican border. The town’s close-knit community prepares to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Bisbee’s darkest hour: the infamous Bisbee Deportation of 1917, during which 1,200 striking miners... {more}

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
On a cold evening in urban Sweden, brothers Michel and Alex are innocently talking in a parked car when a masked gunman fires on them and flees. They both survive the attack, but Alex is paralyzed from the... {more}

For a few years, violinists Ari and Ron have been a couple. When they both get an invitation to an orchestra audition for a solo part they suddenly find themselves in direct competition . Their mutual trust is put to... {more}

Years ago Dax saw his mother murdered by one of his father’s psychiatric patients. Today his dad (Tate Donovan) is an anti-horror film crusader. He is targeting a local extravaganza called Blood Fest, which promises blood, more blood, and gratuitous... {more}

Fifteen-year-old Mia has never felt she belongs in her family. After her dad gets a new job and she’s forced to change schools late in the year, the tension between Mia and her parents only grows. Lonely and angsty, she... {more}

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Madame Tang presents herself as an antiques dealer. But with her house always filled with big-time politicians and the business elite, it’s clear there’s something shady going on. Tang is shameless in her efforts to make a buck.... {more}

In the high-crime and financially defaulting New York City of the late 1970s, art became an expressive fluid that began to fill the widening cracks in culture. The decaying urban landscape became a canvas as art fled from the galleries... {more}

CLOSING NIGHT FILM
In terms of temperament, they were opposites: one a paragon of cool containment, the other a volcano of visceral emotion. But they had something in common: they were the best. Featuring immersive performances from Sverrir Gudnason, Shia LaBeouf,... {more}

WORLD PREMIERE
The HeartThrob Boyz were the sixth best boy band in the 90s, but 16 years later they’re less “I Want It That Way” and more “Ice Cream, Netflix, and 16 Minutes of a Movie.” After their first album made... {more}

WORLD PREMIERE
For nearly 100 years, the Scripps National Spelling Bee has been an American institution, gaining even more prominence in 1994 when ESPN began airing the championship round. Since 1999, 18 of the last 22 National Spelling Bee winners have... {more}

Breaking the Grade is a documentary following a group of students in Columbus, Ohio who are given a second chance. Though the system was ready to give up on them, a determined educator willing to try a bold new program... {more}

If you are a fan of all of beer’s magnificent qualities—the tastes, the aromas, the way it trickles down your throat on a hot summer day—then BREWMASTER is your chance to meet some of the men and women who have... {more}

In 1967 the world’s first successful liver transplant was performed by Dr. Thomas Starzl. Hailing from a small Iowa town, Starzl had watched his mother die in agony from cancer. This shattering experience drove him to pursue medicine and develop... {more}

Burkina Faso is a small landlocked country in West Africa whose literal name translates to “the land of upright men.” Despite the country’s history of political, social, and economic crisis, Burkina Faso is on the rise. The growth the country... {more}

The year is 1946 and David Bermann and his friends, all Holocaust survivors, are in a displaced persons camp run by American forces. David is orchestrating the sale of linens to Germans, using outlandish stories to earn enough to get... {more}

Valerie has just been released from prison after serving time for a drunk driving accident that took the life of her neighbor. She’s clearly been hardened by her stint behind bars. There’s tension with husband and daughters, thanks to her... {more}

With their “Jurassic Park”-inspired logo, the Toronto Raptors entered the NBA in 1995. The first few years weren’t easy. It didn’t help that Toronto was a die-hard hockey city—basketball wasn’t even on their radar. But everything would change when Vince... {more}

A new direction of visual storytelling rooted in being unapologetically Indigenous. Through spoken word by artist Nahaan, luch Pacific Northwest scenes, and ceremony, we enter into a journey of remembrance and reflection on the lessons of the old ones.
Ch'aak' S'aggi... {more}

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
With their father dead and their mother working to support them, 16-year-old Laura is the main protector for her beloved four-year-old brother Jacko. After encountering an unsettling old junk-peddler (played with terrifying relish by Academy Award® nominee Timothy... {more}

When Nala loses her job at a non-profit due to gentrification, she soon discovers that her power-to-the-people politics aren't exactly what you'd call "transferable skills"....
Part of Giving Me Life (In the Land of the Deadass) - an original Web Series... {more}

Esmail is dangerously close to being thrown out of Denmark. As an Iranian immigrant without citizenship, his only hope of avoiding deportation is to find a Danish woman to marry, and soon. When his latest in a string of girlfriends... {more}

There are those of us who can barely boil water and then there is Flynn McGarry. The product of a very nontraditional family, Flynn exhibited a passion and skill for cooking before he entered his teens. His parents turned his... {more}

The animated retelling of how classically trained musician Chilly Gonzales and rock provocateur Peaches brought out the best in each other when they first met at a basement jam session.
Part of The Junction - an original animated Web Series of... {more}

The live-action "Cinderella" you wish Disney would have made.
Part of According to Kids! - an original Web Series that hiariously retells fairy tale classics from children's perspectives.
After watching the The Next Episode theatrical program, check out The Next Episode Screening... {more}

Twelve-year-old Niilas is not having a good summer. Instead of spending it at home in Belgium with his dad, he’s being sent to visit Sweden, where his mother and her family work herding reindeer. Niilas has trouble adjusting to the... {more}

In Chagrin Falls, Ohio, a 15-year-old girl realized the person in the mirror was not the person she truly was. This is the intimate story of her emotional and physical journey into manhood, using the transitional name of Coby. This... {more}

The discovery of a gruesome mass grave indicates the work of a particularly deranged serial killer. The victims are young women and all are missing their heads. The two detectives assigned to the case are complete opposites. Eric works strictly... {more}

Experience the world’s first VR music video that reacts to you! VR is a new song by Los Angeles comedy trio The Cooties. Control the content with interactivity that always keeps things new. The more you look around, the more... {more}

Emilie is a smart and driven human resources manager for a large corporation in Paris. To stay within France’s strict labor laws, her company creates a policy that pressures people into quitting by making their jobs unbearable, rather than firing... {more}

After a bitter divorce, Miriam and Antoine find themselves in court, fighting for custody of their son Julian. Although Julian rejects his father, and Miriam testifies to her ex-husband’s abusive and predatory behavior, Antoine is granted visitation rights after pleading... {more}

Danish comedy star Casper Christensen co-wrote and stars as Thorkil in this film based on the true story of the Hope Whisper Danish electric car from the early 80s. In DAN DREAM, Thorkil is a man ahead of his time... {more}

Tara was on track to becoming one of the best dancers of her generation before a debilitating injury prematurely ended her career. After an 18-month recovery period, during which Tara learned to walk again, her dreams of being a company... {more}

Featuring the new song by LCD Soundsystem, Tonite, virtually go from room to room experiencing a series of dance performances created entirely by fans.
Part of the Perspectives exhibition for immersive storytelling, featuring Interactive Media, Virtual Reality, and more. {more}

Montana has a long history of fighting to keep greed out of its politics. Back in 1912, the state passed a law banning corporate money in elections in an effort to thwart the wealthy copper kings, whose mining interests controlled... {more}

WORLD PREMIERE
It’s no secret that the U.S. government’s track record with Native Americans has never been stellar. But you may be unaware of the horrors documented in DAWNLAND. For much of the 20th century, social workers stole Native American children... {more}

World famous physician Kim Jun-young is rushing home from a U.N. conference to celebrate his daughter Eun jung’s birthday. Running late, he encounters a horrific auto accident with one passenger and one pedestrian dead. When he discovers the pedestrian is... {more}

Oscar Mongoût, a gourmet cannibal, burns with love for the neighbor in his building, the very vegetal Miss Carrot. This passion seems destined to fail: she is a vegetarian, while he suffers from a total phobia about vegetables. {more}

Teresa is a reserved middle-aged housekeeper in Buenos Aires. She’s worked for the same family for years and has become accustomed to a life of routines. But her employers have recently decided to sell their house, turning Teresa’s life upside... {more}

DIRECTIONS begins with the grim story of Misho, a middle-aged Bulgarian taxi driver with a teenage daughter. Down on his luck, Misho has been desperately trying to pay back the loan he received for his business. When a shady banker... {more}

There’s frosty tension between photojournalist Roos and her ex-concert pianist mother Louise—and it’s not just because DISAPPEARANCE is set in the snow-blanketed Norwegian mountains. The women are at odds over long-standing disagreements that are always on the precipice of boiling... {more}

Irene is a 15-year-old girl living in Canada, which is the country Thelma & Louise would be living in if they had driven north. Irene doesn’t have many friends, but if she can just make the cheerleading squad and show... {more}

Named after a slick chess move, THE DRAGON DEFENSE follows the quirky lives of three friends, each grappling with the unsettling reality of growing old. Samuel is obsessed with chess. He’s a professional player and former college professor, who now... {more}

Comedian and performance artist Amir Asgharnejad was known online for his viral videos of provoking fights with strangers and other outrageous public stunts. After he caught the attention of an advertising agency, the creative directors formed a campaign around Amir... {more}

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
“A story is never a lie.” So Ruzummy instructs the beggars and cons he chauffeurs around the city of Bnei Brak. With a list of the rich, lonely, and gullible in his pocket, Ruzummy is a driver who... {more}

The Driver is Red is an animated true crime documentary that tells the captivating true story of Zvi Aharoni and the Israeli secret service team that brought down one of the most powerful Nazis. {more}

OPENING NIGHT FILM
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
THE DRUMMER AND THE KEEPER begins with a pantless man dragging a couch onto a beach. He douses it with gasoline and casually sets it on fire. His name is Gabriel, and he is a drummer for... {more}

As a young girl, Edie was an adventurous free spirit, spending most of her time exploring the outdoors with her father. She envisioned herself living a life full of experiences… but everything changed when she married George. Even before his... {more}

As boys, Justin and his younger brother Aaron fled from a UFO cult, prior to what Justin feared was an impending mass suicide. After years of cult de-conditioning, Aaron still resents being dragged from what he felt was home. To... {more}

A grieving mother, Yvonne Pointer, from Cleveland, OH and an impoverished boy from Ghana, Africa Anthony Tay, turn their pain into purpose and their purpose into action by educating the youth and strengthening communities together. {more}

A VR experience about how one pre-judges others. Set in a conflict zone, the player encounters another soldier who may be friend or foe. Whether the player decides to collaborate with or combat the other in ensuing challenges, determines who... {more}

Nicole and Kristan are a queer Bay Area couple who want to adopt a child from foster care. As they prepare to have their home inspected, they child-proof their apartment and invite a couple of kids over to examine their... {more}

Alex drops by her parents’ house one day and makes a stunning discovery: her mother Viv has disappeared without warning and abandoned her father Jean. However, the ostensible reason for this departure—Viv is stressed out from caring for Jean, who... {more}

Produced by news icon Dan Rather, FAIL STATE examines the rise of for-profit colleges in America and how politicians and shady businessmen tarnished our higher education system. It also looks at the mountain of student debt that makes it hard... {more}

Andres is a single father living in a blue-collar neighborhood of Caracas. His son Pedro spends his days roughhousing with friends, some of whom are involved in the street violence that has recently spread through their community. When a boy... {more}

Father Divine was a spiritual leader who spent the first half of the 20th century growing his International Peace Mission movement to tens of thousands of followers during the Great Depression. Empowering scores of African-Americans to find housing and meals,... {more}

Andi and Lu seem like the perfect couple. They have a great connection, they’re in love, and they’re getting married. But their bachelorette weekend doesn’t go quite as planned when, during a night of partying, Lu reveals she’s never had... {more}

FILMWORKER comes from a term Leon Vitali used as his job title on a legal form. Yes, he literally had to invent a word because there wasn’t one for it. You may recognize him as Lord Bullingdon from Stanley Kubrick’s... {more}

When his wife passes away, Eduard decides it’s time to revisit his past in this beautifully shot and expertly acted film. Reluctantly along for the ride is Eduard’s granddaughter Adele, who hasn’t had much of a relationship with her grandfather.... {more}

Two decades ago, Tau and his friends protected their town against police brutality in apartheid-era South Africa. They were just kids, but they defended Railway, an offshoot of Marseilles, with a fierce sense of pride. No one was going to... {more}

In the 1970s, the Berchtolds and the Brobergs were neighbors and best friends. The parents and children in both families seemed to get along perfectly and quickly became staples in each other’s lives. But when one of the fathers, Robert... {more}

What do freedom and democracy look like in the 21st century, and why are people fighting for it? Exploring these two pressing questions—and examining the moral and physical conflicts that arise as a result—is the aim of this documentary. To... {more}

Before entering a prestigious Ph.D. program at UCLA, Gabriel Buchmann decided to grab his backpack and spend a year traveling the world. Little did he know, the trip would be his last. GABRIEL AND THE MOUNTAIN is a dramatization of... {more}

Kill or be killed. Death is the only way out. Once begun, there is no turning back. Thus ominously states the Game of Death, which seven sex-and-drug hazed millennials very foolishly decide to play. When they touch the Game to... {more}

Early in the absorbing documentary GEEK GIRLS, director Gina Hara states she’s looking for people willing to discuss their “experiences as geeks, nerds, fans [and] outcasts.” The women she finds—including bloggers, a professional gamer, a video game programmer, and an... {more}

To neo-burlesque pioneer Julie Atlas Muz, it takes three things to be a performer: “You need to get a costume; you need to get a gimmick; and then you need to just get up onstage and have the balls to... {more}

For Jewish Americans, the fight against Hitler and the Nazis was incredibly personal. As they saw their homeland being torn apart and their fellow Jews being persecuted, they stepped up in large numbers to serve in the U.S. military—over 55,000... {more}

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Life hasn’t been easy for Kaspar since the loss of his mother. When he found solace in the bottle, it got him fired from his job as a music teacher. Things aren’t any better for his dad Vidar,... {more}

Fairy tales often border on nightmare. Clara, a lonely nurse, has come to work as a nanny for the mysterious Ana and her unborn child. As the two wait for Ana’s child to arrive, they begin to develop a strong... {more}

Officer Asger Holm was placed on desk assignment after a recent incident while on duty. He’s been dispatching emergency calls and longs to be back on the streets. THE GUILTY begins on what could be his final phone shift, as... {more}

Gwen Luffman explores what it means to be successful in the arts and how to define your own goals and identity.
Part of Why Art - an original web series that explores why people do what they do - don't ask... {more}

There are films that make money and there are films that endure. Renegade director Hal Ashby made the latter. A passionate and obsessive craftsman, Ashby had serious authority issues with the studio power structure. Hitchhiking to L.A. when he was... {more}

US PREMIERE
Raghdan is a young Muslim living in the small Irish town of Sligo. There’s not much going on, which is making his struggle to find himself all the more difficult. His days are spent hanging out with his well-intentioned,... {more}

After a traumatic encounter, a young, gay Egyptian joins the LGBT rights movement. When his safety is jeopardized, he must choose whether to stay in the country he loves or seek asylum elsewhere as a refugee. {more}

Sent by his father to fight in the Spanish Civil War, Martin returns years later to find his family farm impoverished and his younger brother, Joaquin, shockingly different from the young man he left behind. Afflicted with gigantism, Joaquin is... {more}

Xiao Zhang has stolen a satchel containing one million yuan. He intends to use the money to take his fiancee´ to South Korea to repair a botched plastic surgery. The money belongs to a small-time crime boss known as Uncle... {more}

WORLD PREMIERE
Palm oil farming has taken over many parts of Southeast Asia. It’s raking in billions, and while locals don’t see the bulk of that money, most of them are happy with the income it brings in. That’s mainly because,... {more}

Nick Offerman plays Frank, an aging hipster single dad in HEARTS BEAT LOUD. Frank is a former musician who runs a New York record store that’s about to go out of business. His daughter Sam (played by singer/actress Kiersey Clemons)... {more}

During a football game at Molson Stadium in Montréal, a player is killed when a portion of the field collapses. Mohawk archeologist Baptiste Asigny is brought in to excavate the sinkhole. There is evidence to suggest this may be a... {more}

A comedian's retreat into the Everglades is interrupted by an uninvited visitor.
Part of The Midnight Service - an original Web Series that features scripted true-crime stories about the unknown across America. {more}

HOSTAGES recounts the brutal 1983 hijacking of a Georgian plane that was headed for Leningrad. The assailants were a group of young Georgians determined to escape the authority of Soviet rule. As the film shows, they can’t even take a... {more}

Adapted from the Flannery O'Connor Award-winning short story by Mary Hood, How Far She Went takes an unflinching look at family, personal sacrifice, and the lengths we will go for those we love. {more}

An amazing cast of actors adorns this charming comedy about prize-winning playwright Nate (Flight of the Conchords Jemaine Clement) who has lost his mojo, his agent, and then his wife and home. Forced to move in with his father Bob... {more}